is the name of a traditional Japanese children's tune (
warabe uta
are traditional Japanese songs, similar to nursery rhymes. They are often sung as part of traditional children's games. They are described as a form of min'yo: traditional Japanese songs, usually sung without accompanying instruments.
The cen ...
). It is a common choice for music played by traffic lights in Japan when it is safe to cross. Tōryanse can be heard in many forms of
popular culture
Popular culture (also called pop culture or mass culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of cultural practice, practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as popular art f. pop art
F is the sixth letter of the Latin alphabet.
F may also refer to:
Science and technology Mathematics
* F or f, the number 15 (number), 15 in hexadecimal and higher positional systems
* ''p'F'q'', the hypergeometric function
* F-distributi ...
or mass art, sometimes contraste ...
, such as at crosswalks in anime.
Lyrics
The words to the song are:
Tune
Explanation
There are many theories to the origin of the song, but all agree that it is a portrayal of an exchange between a civilian and a guard manning some sort of a checkpoint – at
Kawagoe Castle according to one theory. In the old days when infant mortality was high, people celebrated when a child survived to reach the age of 7 (as well as 3 and 5; see
Shichi-Go-San
is a traditional Japanese rite of passage and festival day for three and seven-year-old girls, and five-year-old and sometimes three-year-old boys. It is held annually on November 15 and celebrates the growth and well-being of young children. ...
), and ordinary people were only allowed to visit the shrine within the castle compound for special occasions.
This particular warabe uta is sung as part of a traditional game where two children facing each other link their hands to form an arch 'checkpoint', and the remaining children walk through underneath in a line (and back round again in circles). The child who happens to be under the arch when the song finishes is then 'caught', not unlike the Anglophone game "
London Bridge Is Falling Down
"London Bridge Is Falling Down" (also known as "My Fair Lady" or "London Bridge") is a traditional English nursery rhyme and singing game, which is found in different versions all over the world. It deals with the dilapidation of London Bridg ...
".
The tune being played at Japanese pedestrian crossings is an analogy to this game, i.e., it is safe to cross until the music stops.
See also
*
Warabe uta
are traditional Japanese songs, similar to nursery rhymes. They are often sung as part of traditional children's games. They are described as a form of min'yo: traditional Japanese songs, usually sung without accompanying instruments.
The cen ...
*
Kagome Kagome
"Kagome Kagome" (かごめかごめ, or ) is a Japanese children's game and the song (''Warabe uta'') associated with it. One player is chosen as the ''Oni'' (literally demon or ogre, but similar to the concept of "it" in tag) and sits blindfo ...
References
External links
A "musicbox" midi file of ToryanseA midi file at Music Laboratory DatabaseAbout Shichi-go-san, The 7 - 5 - 3 Festival in Japan and TooryanseA short video of it being played at a crosswalk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toryanse
Japanese songs
Songs in Japanese
Japanese children's songs
Year of song unknown
Songs with unknown songwriters